Stronger
by youallhaveplans
Summary: After many nights alone with Daryl Dixon, Beth Greene finds out she's pregnant. (Set after 'Welcome To the Tombs', but before '30 Days Without an Accident'.)
1. Chapter 1

Beth smiled as she finally put Judith to sleep. The baby had refused to sleep for the past hour, but as Beth sang to her, she finally drifted into unconsciousness.

"She finally asleep?" Carol said as she squeezed Beth's arm. Beth nodded and looked at the baby. Judith could have been at least six, maybe seven months old by now.

"I sometimes wish Lori were still here," Beth admitted. It was true; she _had_ missed her. Lori had been the one who nursed her back to health after she fell into shock back at the farm. She'd been almost like a mother to Beth; comforting her when her dad was bit and lost his leg, and when she lost Patricia.

"We all do." Carol smiled sadly and rubbed Beth's arm. Then she turned around and went outside. Beth sighed when she looked around. She was alone. Her dad was on a walk, Maggie was probably somewhere with Glenn, Rick was tending to the farm, and Michonne and Daryl were on a run.

After a few moments of silence, she heard footsteps. "Hey." Carl said as he walked towards her, smiling. Beth offered a smile back.

"How come you're not with your dad?" She asked. Usually, Rick had Carl help with the pigs, and/or the crops.

Carl shrugged. "He gave me the day off. What're you doin'?"

Beth realized that she was just standing there, not really doing anything. She was in the main room of cell block C, the room with all the tables. Judith was in a box on one of those tables.

"Nothin'. You seen Maggie?" Beth responded. She had missed her sister, they haven't spent much time together these past few months. Beth was almost always busy with Judith, and Maggie, well she was pretty preoccupied with Glenn.

"Nah." Carl fixed his hat so it was straight. Then he gave Beth a weird look. "You all right?"

"'M fine, why?" Beth chuckled a little bit. Carl had always been worrying about her. It was so obvious that he had a crush on her, which Beth found sweet.

"You look pretty green." Now that Carl mentioned it, she did feel a bit weird. But she just figured it was exhaustion. But the next thing she knew, she was running outside and throwing up. Carl followed. "Beth?" He called worriedly. She let everything out and when she stood up, her sister was at her side.

"Y'alright?" Maggie asked. Beth managed to nod, but then knelt down to throw up again. After she was done, her sister dragged her inside and within minutes their dad was there, observing his younger daughter.

"Is she sick?" Glenn had asked him. Hershel shook his head, "Doesn't seem like it."

Maggie squeezed Beth's hand reassuringly. If anything was wrong with her, their father would be able to find out.

In the end, he decided that she get plenty of rest, and water. Beth sent him a thankful smile and let her sister lead her to her cell. After she lied down, Maggie sat down on what little space the bed had left.

"Go on, sleep. I'll stay with ya." Maggie brushed Beth's check and smiled. Beth reciprocated, then let sleep take over her.

* * *

When Beth opened her eyes, her sister was gone, and Beth immediately panicked. Where did she go? She promised Beth she wouldn't leave. Beth jumped off her bed and sighed in relief when she saw Maggie on the top bunk.

Maggie raised her eyebrows and sat up when she saw the panicked look on her sister. "'S matter?"

Beth let out a deep breath. "You scared me. I thought somethin' might've happened…"

"Like what?" Maggie asked as she looked around.

 _The Governor_ , Beth wanted to say, but she knew that was a sore spot for her sister. That monster had done unspeakable things to her, and Beth knew how hard it was for her.

Instead, Beth shook her head and said, "Never mind. Are Daryl and Michonne back yet?"

Maggie pursed her lips, "Yeah, why?" Beth could see the confusion on her face when she mentioned the redneck, but there was no way to explain what had been going on between them. Beth could never tell anyone, not even her dad.

"Just askin'." Beth said coolly. She expected Maggie to keep asking questions, but instead she jumped off the bed, kissed Beth on the cheek, then left.

Beth sighed when she left. She hated being alone, so she decided to go see Carol. The woman always had been happy to see her, and Beth figured it was because she felt like a mother to her. Carol had told Axel off when he started hitting on her, which Beth hadn't even noticed he was doing.

Beth left her cell and sought out Carol. Instead, she ran into Rick, who had Judith in his arms. She smiled when she saw them. She asked him if he's seen Carol, and he said she was in her cell, and Beth nodded.

Carol _had_ been happy to see her, just as Beth expected her to be. "You wanna talk about somethin'?" Carol asked. Beth stared at the wall in front of her. Could she tell Carol about her… condition? Would the older woman judge her? Scold her for being so stupid? Beth had done that to herself many times.

Beth looked her in the eye, but only for a second. "Beth," Carol touched her arm. "You know you can tell me anythin', right?"

Beth nodded, then mumbled an excuse about being tired. She quickly left Carol's cell and went to find Daryl. She assumed he was on watch about this time, and she was right. She quietly slipped outside to talk to him.

He didn't say anything though, but that didn't surprise her. Daryl hardly spoke anyway. She cleared her throat, and said, "I'm pregnant."

Daryl turned around and stared at her, "Y'sure?" He said in that gruff voice of his.

Beth did nothing but nod, then turned around. She sighed audibly, then started walking, leaving Daryl to his thoughts.

* * *

The next morning was quiet, aside from Maggie constantly making sure Beth was ok. She'd thrown up again this morning, which Maggie had walked right in on. Beth cursed herself for letting her sister see. If she wasn't careful, her sister would start to put the pieces together: the constant throwing up, not being able to be around poultry of any kind, her stomach slowly increasing in size…

Beth shivered. Her sister would found out eventually, though. Everyone would.

She met Carol an Judith at breakfast, and she saw Daryl across the room, not-so-discreetly staring at her. She offered him a smile, and he ducked his head. Her smile fell and she started eating the cereal on her plate.

"How you feelin'?" Carol asked as she ate. Beth didn't respond at first, instead looking at Daryl, who still wasn't looking at her. She finally gave up and gave a small smile.

"Fine."

Carol nodded at the response and Beth watched as Daryl left the room. Carol watched him too. She grabbed another plate of cereal and followed him.

"You need to eat," Carol called after him. He didn't stop walking though. "Daryl!"

She caught up to him and pushed the plate of food into his chest. "Take it." She said sternly.

Daryl shook his head and pushed it away, "Give it t'Beth."

"Beth?" Carol raised her eyebrow in confusion. All he did was nod.

"Y'know, blond hair-"

"I know who you mean, but, why?" Carol asked. Daryl had never mentioned her before, so it was very weird to hear him mention her name.

"She's too skinny." Daryl said, then walked away. Carol walked back into cell block C and did as Daryl requested. Beth didn't seem shocked when Carol told her about what he had said, which made Carol think. After the farm, when Lori was still alive and pregnant, they had gone from place to place trying to find a safe shelter. And there were a few times when both Beth _and_ Daryl were missing. Could they have been… hooking up?

Carol internally scoffed at the thought of Daryl Dixon having sex with a then-sixteen-year-old. But it was entirely possible.

And Beth throwing up so much? That could only mean one thing…

* * *

After breakfast, Beth sought out Daryl. She was furious at him for giving her _his_ food, like she was a child. She could take care of herself.

She failed to find Daryl, instead finding Rick once again. This time they had an actual conversation, and it was about Judith.

"Just wait till she starts walkin'," She giggled. "Or talkin'. That'll be fun."

Rick laughed along with her. "I know."

After a few minutes she felt really tired, so she said goodbye to Rick, who was down at the 'farm'.

She lied down on her cell bed and closed her eyes.

* * *

 **What do you think? Was it good? Let me know. This is my first time writing fanfiction for The Walking Dead, so I might not be so good at the whole accent/dialogue thing, or characterization.**

 **Thank you for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

When Beth opened her eyes, she saw a figure standing at her door. She gasped and sat up, only to realize that it was Daryl. He shifted uncomfortably.

"H-hey." Beth was a little nervous to be around him, but not because she was scared of him or anything, she just didn't know how he was taking the news.

"Hi," He said. He sat on the side of her bed and looked at her. Beth cleared her throat.

"What's up?" She asked, but she knew why he was here.

"Just wanted to check on you, is all." He responded quietly. Beth let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "Thanks." She couldn't look him in the eye.

She felt the bed move and Daryl squeezed her shoulder and then left. Beth felt tears form in her eyes. She loved Daryl. She loved him so much that it physically hurt when she was away from him.

The first time she and Daryl had a moment was when they were on the run, after the farm had been overrun. Daryl was on watch and Beth stayed up with him. It had been awkward at first, with him not speaking much and her inexperience with talking to older men. But somehow a relationship formed between them: Daryl had been sneaking her away from her family at night to spend time with her, and Beth loved it. She loved the secrecy, the thrill of being with someone so… rough. It was amazing. He was amazing.

But now… Things weren't the same for some reason. They were kind of like Lori and Rick when they first got to the prison: distant, barley in a relationship anymore. Daryl was always busy, with his brother, The Governor, going on runs, and now, being on the council. Things like that really take a toll on a… relationship? Marriage? Partnership? Beth honestly didn't know what they were. But now they were going to be parents.

A baby that would be half Daryl and half Beth was growing inside her. And no one knew. That was the worst part, god forbid something happened to it, her father wouldn't be able to do anything.

Beth didn't even know how far along she was.

"Beth?"

She jumped and looked at her door. Carol was standing there. "Can I come in?"

Beth nodded and Carol sat on her bed, like Daryl had before. She took a deep breath, "I know."

Beth's eyes widened. What did she know? By the tone of her voice, Beth knew what Carol was referring to. Her and Daryl. The baby.

"You do?" Beth asked softly. Carol pursed her lips and nodded solemnly. Beth let out a sob and Carol pulled her in close. Beth cried until she had no more tears left. She cried for her. She cried for Daryl. The baby. Hershel. Maggie. Glenn.

"It's gonna be ok." Carol cooed. "I promise."

Beth shook her head and continued to cry. "You can't tell anyone. Especially Daddy or Maggie. They'd kill me, and Daryl." She said when the sobs were gone.

Carol nodded. "Does he know?" She asked, and Beth knew she was referring to Daryl.

"I told him last night." Beth said as she wiped the tears off her face.

"How'd he take it?"

Beth shrugged. "I don't know. Good, I think. But… but what if what happened to Lori happens to me? A-am I gonna die delverin' this baby?" Beth started hyperventilating after she said the last part.

"Beth, honey, that won't happen, ok? I won't let it happen. Neither will Daryl. Or Hershel or Maggie. Ok?" Carol tried to sooth her but Beth wouldn't listen.

"It could happen though. All it takes is for me to be in the wrong place at the wrong time just like Lori-"

"Shh." Carol said. After about twenty minutes, Beth finally calmed down. She thanked Carol for being here with her, and Carol said she was happy to. She left Beth's cell and Beth sighed. She needed to talk to Daryl, she had to make things right. But she had no idea what to say to him.

She got up and when she left her cell, she heard voices coming from the next room.

"You find anythin' yet?" Beth heard Rick say. She didn't know what he was talking about though.

"Not yet." Michonne said. Then it all made sense. Michonne and Daryl had been tracking The Governor, well, _trying_ to. Daryl had reported that his trail was getting harder to find.

Beth turned her head and saw Rick nod. After a few seconds, they parted ways and Maggie came inside. She smiled at Beth and walked towards her. She asked Beth how she was feeling, and she said fine.

"Was thinkin' bout goin' on a run. Y'wanna come?" Maggie asked. Beth sent her a confused look. Their dad would never allow Beth to come along, and neither would Maggie. "Y'need to learn how to scavenge for supplies when you're out there."

Beth shook her head. "Not this time."

"Beth-"

"Maggie," Beth interrupted. She sent her older sister a pleading look. "Not this time." She couldn't risk anything happening to her or her child. Daryl would never allow it anyway.

Maggie didn't say anything else, she just touched Beth's arm and walked away. Rage filled her as she watched her sister walk away. Why all of a sudden did she wanna teach her how to scavenge? Maggie had never suggested it before. And Beth knew why; she was the weakest one in the group. She had to be protected.

Beth was _always_ in her sister's shadow. It never bothered her that much before, and she didn't know why it bothered her now. She decided that she would go on the run, whether anyone wanted her to or not. Maggie would be there to _protect_ her anyway.

* * *

The run was a success. They'd picked up some more medicine, food, blankets, and some more toys for Judith. They were only gone for about four hours, with Beth, Maggie, Glenn, Sasha and Tyreese on it.

Nothing had really happened, except a really close call with Beth and a walker, which Glenn took down before it could sink its teeth in Beth's shoulder. Maggie had fretted over her, but Beth shrugged her off. She didn't need her to worry about her, Beth could take care of herself. But of course, Maggie didn't understand that.

It wasn't that Beth didn't appreciate her concern, she did, but Beth was going to be a mother soon. She _needed_ to able to handle herself, or else she'll get her child killed. Just the thought of that made her sick.

It had been such a relief to see Judith again. As she watched her play with her new toys, her thoughts ran to Daryl.

He hadn't said much to her, and he really couldn't. Not without everyone suspecting. It was bad enough Carol knew, let alone anyone else.

He didn't exactly like the idea of her on a run giving her condition, but all he told her was, "Good luck." No hug, no kiss, just good luck. That made her heart break. They use to be so close, so in love, but it was like they were strangers now. And it wasn't like they fought either. They just drifted apart like Rick and Lori had.

Granted, Beth didn't sleep with Daryl's best friend (not that it was any of her business).

She felt herself feeling a lot like she did on the farm after Shane killed her family even though they were walkers. _Depressed. Unimportant. Unwanted._

It was silly to think that way and she knew that, but in a world like this it was easy to be sad. Easy to loose hope.

"Hey," Rick said as he walked up to Beth and Judith. Judith was still on the floor and Beth had her eyes fixed on her.

"How's she doin'?" He asked as he leaned against her cell door. Beth smiled and replied, "Fine. She's gettin' so big though!"

Rick chuckled. "I know." He bent down and picked her up. "I think I'll relieve you for a while. I wanna spend some time with her, if you don't mind."

Beth shrugged, "Of course." She grinned at him and Judith as he left. There was a knock and Beth looked up. Carol.

"I know you must be all kinds of cravin's, so I brought you some food."

"Thanks," Beth said as Carol handed her the food. "Speak to Daryl yet?" Carol asked her. She shook her head. "Not since I got back."

"That was a really stupid thing you know, goin' with 'em." The older woman scolded. Beth frowned. She was right, it _had_ been stupid, but for once she wanted to prove that she could take care of herself. She wasn't weak.

"I came back, didn't I?" Beth asked sarcastically.

Carol pursed her lips, "Yeah. But you couldn't have. You're goin' to be a mother soon, you need to start bein' more responsible. Actin' like an adult."

"So havin' a baby isn't adult enough?" Beth snapped. She immediately felt guilty for it though, Carol was only stating the truth: Beth was stupid to go.

"I didn't-"

"Everyone treats me like I'm weak! Like I can't take care of myself, so I go out to try to prove I can and instead of bein' praised for riskin' my life I get patronized-"

"Beth?" A voice cut her off. She and Carol turned and saw Maggie standing there.

"Everythin' alright?" She asked cautiously as she flicked her gaze from Beth to Carol.

And in that moment, Beth felt ashamed. It was most likely her hormones that were causing her to act this way, but she didn't care.

"Everythin' is fine." Beth said as she left her cell, not bothering to look back.

* * *

 **Sorry for kind of bashing on Maggie, I'm still just so mad at her. You think that if she bothered to look for her sister, Beth wouldn't be dead?! Like I know Maggie didn't think she was capable of surviving on her own, but still. She didn't even try. And now she's dead. (Which I'm still super pissed about.)**

 **Sorry for ranting. Tell me what you thought of this chapter. Oh and I don't own The Walking Dead.**

 **Thank you.**


	3. Chapter 3

Beth had apologized profusely to Carol after she snapped. To Beth's relief, she was forgiven.

"I'm just tryin' to look out for you," Carol had said as she engulfed Beth in a hug. After they made up, they started talking about the baby.

"You got any names yet?" Carol asked while they did the laundry. Beth shook her head as she folded a shirt.

"Haven't givin' it much thought," She shrugged. For a while, she'd even forgotten she _was_ pregnant.

But all that would change today. When Beth got off her bed, she happened to look down at her stomach and it was _very_ noticeable.

"Shit," She muttered. How was she supposed to cover it? She didn't have anything baggy or something in a bigger size.

"Here," a voice said. She felt something hit her back and she jumped and turned. It was Daryl who had given her a plus-size hoodie.

"That should cover ya up for a little while." He said as he leaned against the cell door. Beth nodded and mumbled, "Thanks."

Daryl nodded and turned to leave. "Wait!" Beth exclaimed. He turned back to her and she wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest.

His body went stiff from the shock, but then he wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

They hadn't hugged like this in a long time, so Beth sighed contently. It felt so good to be in his arms again where she belonged, where she felt safe. But they couldn't last like this forever, so she slowly pulled back and smiled at him. Then he left, and Beth frowned. She hadn't wanted him to leave. She wanted to stay with him forever.

Beth ran a hand over her stomach and slightly smiled. All of a sudden, it had hit her. She was going to have a baby, something she had wanted all her life. But then she frowned again when she thought of how much scolding she was going to get when she told everyone. Beth could picture it now: Maggie absolutely freaking out with Glenn trying to calm her down, her Daddy shaking his head in disapproval, and everyone else giving her stares of pity.

She sighed and put on the hoodie Daryl had given her. It definitely covered the bump she was trying to hide.

From what little she knew about pregnancy, Beth guessed she was around twelve, maybe thirteen weeks along. In about a week or so, she would have to tell everyone about it. But maybe it was better to tell them now, though, just to get it over with. At least then her Daddy would be able to tell whether the baby was healthy.

Beth ran into Michonne on the way out of her cell, and they started talking.

"How's findin'… you know who goin'?" Beth asked carefully. She didn't know how comfortable Michonne was talking about him and what he'd done to Andrea. It was terrible.

"It's going." She replied, with no movement whatsoever. Beth would never admit it out loud, but the woman had always intimidated her. She was very unpredictable and very private.

Beth nodded sympathetically. Michonne eyed her carefully, "How far along are you?"

She all but gasped, "What?" When Michonne eyed her again, she added, "H-how did you know?"

"I had a child too, once. So I know an expecting mother when I see one." Michonne laughed softly, and that made Beth relax a bit more.

"Who's is it?"

The question made Beth frown. That was the first question everyone was going to ask her.

She swallowed nervously, "Daryl's."

The older woman nodded, but didn't say anything. Beth guessed that she didn't know what to say.

"D'you think anyone else knows?" Beth asked and Michonne shrugged, "I don't know."

The conversation ended soon after that and Beth went to find Carol. Carol was outside, watching the walkers down at the other side of the giant fences.

"Is it noticeable?" She asked her as she walked towards her. Carol didn't answer; instead she kept staring at the walkers.

"Carol?" Beth asked and her voice cracked. That got the older woman's attention.

Carol shrugged and turned away from her. Beth sighed and went back inside.

That night, Daryl brought back a deer for dinner and was praised by everyone, except Beth. She couldn't even be in the same room as it, the smell making her want to vomit. So she went outside for a walk, trying not to think about the smell.

It was a quiet night, except for the walker's groaning, and it wasn't too hot or too cold.

Beth put a hand on her stomach when she saw them. What if _she_ turned into one of them after her baby was born? What if she tried to hurt it?

That wouldn't happen, she told herself. Her Daddy would never and neither would Maggie. But that wasn't a comforting thought either since neither of them even knew about the baby.

She decided to tell them soon, she just needed to find the right time. So far three people knew and that was enough for her.

"You're not hungry?" She heard Carl ask as he walked next to her. She didn't know he was out here.

"Not really," Beth admitted. Then a thought struck her: could she tell Carl about the baby? Would he even care? Or worse, what if he told someone else?

"My mom couldn't eat meat either when she was pregnant with Judith."

Beth's jaw dropped, "What are you sayin'?" Carl didn't reply, he just smiled and started to walk away. Beth stared at him and sighed. If a thirteen year old could figure it out, then so could everyone else.

She decided to go back inside before she was missed and she was greeted by Maggie as soon as she walked in.

The look on Maggie's face told Beth that she knew everything. Beth's heart started to pound faster and she felt sick all of a sudden. She looked away from her sister to see everyone else staring at her: Rick, Glenn, Carl, her sister, her father, Sasha, Tyreese, Michonne, and finally Daryl.

Beth swallowed, "What's all this about?"

"I think you know," Maggie snapped and Glenn took her hand in his, "Maggie." He tried to sooth her but she yanked her hand away.

"Did you just think no one would notice?" Maggie questioned as she gestured to everyone in the room. Beth didn't know what to say, but she was secretly glad it was out in the open. Now she could ask her Daddy questions, and he could see if the baby's alright.

"How long have you known?" Hershel asked her. She looked away even though she could feel his disapproved gaze on her.

"'Bout a week."

Maggie flinched and turned away, going to sit with their Daddy. Glenn followed.

"Why didn't you say anythin'?" Rick asked. Beth felt tears form in her eyes and was automatically ashamed of keeping quiet. It was a childish thing to do.

"I-I was scared," She admitted, "I was afraid you'd act like… well, how you're actin' now."

"Who's is it?" Maggie asked sharply.

Beth was taken aback by the tone of her voice. She didn't say anything. "It's not Glenn's. It's not Tyreese's. Is it Rick's?"

"Maggie," Hershel scolded as Rick immediately said, "No!"

All eyes went to the man in the back of the room. Maggie got up and walked towards him, "You got my baby sister pregnant?"

Daryl didn't do anything except stare at her with the same intensity she was looking at him with.

"Is this true?" Hershel asked as he got up using his crutches. Rick put a hand up, "Everyone relax. Daryl, come with me."

Rick took Daryl outside and Glenn followed, "What the hell?" He asked. Rick raised his eyebrows at him, signaling for Glenn to calm down.

"Beth? Daryl, why? She's seventeen." Rick scolded. Daryl looked up at him, "Wasn't planned."

Rick laughed humorously, "It never is, is it?"

"I still don't understand, why _Beth_? Why not Carol? I mean, c'mon dude, at least she's your age." Glenn sighed.

"'S wrong with Beth?" Daryl asked, suddenly becoming defensive. "An' what the hell does this got anythin' to do with Carol?"

"Nothing," Glenn said, trying to calm things down, "We've just noticed you two are really close."

"She's a good friend," Daryl responded. Rick ran a hand over his face and sighed, "I can't believe you did this, and I'll probably never understand why, but what's done is done. Now we gotta deal with it."

Glenn sighed once again and nodded, "I'll go see how things are going in there."

* * *

 **This chapter wasn't very good, but I tried haha. Let me know what you think of their reactions, I tried to keep them as realistic as possible.**

 **Thank you.**


	4. Chapter 4

When Glenn returned inside, everyone was gone. He eventually found Maggie in their shared cell, sitting on the bed.

"She's only seventeen," Maggie said quietly when she noticed his presence, "I always thought _I_ would be the one to get pregnant first. Not _Beth_ , not my sweet little sister."

She started to sob and Glenn put his arms around her shoulders. She looked up at him, "What if she ends up like Lori?"

"That won't happen, ok? We won't let it." He tried to comfort her, but she shook him off. "Where is Beth?" He asked.

"With Daddy. He wanted to check on the baby." Maggie shook her head and started to sob again. She couldn't believe that _Daryl_ , out of all people, was the one who knocked her sister up.

"I know you're upset about this, but there's nothing we can do. All we can do is support Beth, _and_ Daryl, no matter how pissed off you are at him. I mean, look at your dad. He doesn't like it, but he's being supportive about it. Beth could've.. you know, ended it's life, but she didn't. She chose to have this baby and you need to accept that."

Maggie sighed but didn't speak for a moment, taking in Glenn's words. He was right and she knew that, but just imagining her sister as a mom was scary.

She eventually nodded and sighed again, "You're right."

Glenn smiled and laughed softly, "I'm always right. Now why don't you go check on Beth?"

She nodded and left, and Glenn ran a hand over his face. He hated seeing Maggie so upset but she needed to accept it: her sister was having a baby, whether Maggie wanted her to or not.

* * *

"Baby seems healthy," Hershel commented as Beth told him about her symptoms: the throwing up, not being able to be near meat, and her stomach increasing in size. Beth gave him a small hopeful smile, but he didn't return it. She frowned: she knew that he would be upset, just like Maggie, but she thought he'd be a bit more supportive.

"Thanks Daddy," Beth said as she got off the cell bed and left her father's cell. On the way out, she ran into her sister.

"Hey," Maggie offered her a smile, which Beth didn't return. She knew her sister was just being over-protective, but it was annoying. She didn't need Maggie for that.

"Look, I'm sorry for bein' so crazy before. And for confrontin' you like that, I just…" Maggie sighed and shook her head, "I just can't believe it's really true."

Beth shrugged, "Not me you should be apologizin' to. It's Daryl."

Her sister nodded, "I know and I will." Beth nodded and Maggie walked away. Beth sighed and ran a hand over her stomach. Things were getting so complicated these days. She remembered when her biggest problem was picking out an outfit for school: now, it was whether who knew or didn't know about her baby.

She hadn't seen Daryl since before, or Rick, so Beth assumed they were still outside talking about her. Beth instantly grew angry: this wasn't just Daryl's fault. It was hers too.

She found her way back to her own cell and lied down on her bed, closing her eyes and wishing that tomorrow would be a better day.

* * *

When Beth woke up this morning, she went to get Judith. She hadn't spent time with her in a while and she missed the little baby. Plus, it would be good practice for when her baby arrived, even though she'd already been like a mother to Judith since Lori died.

Judith smiled and clapped her hands when she saw Beth, and Rick laughed, "She's missed you."

Beth grinned and picked her up, resting her on her right hip. She started to bounce her and the baby laughed.

That made Beth laugh too, and then a question formed in her mind, "You're not mad about-"

Rick cut her off, "No. What happened is your business, not mine or anyone else's."

Beth smiled gratefully at him, happy to have one person not judge her, "Thanks. I just wish everyone would forget about it already."

"They will, just give it time." Rick said softly. She nodded and walked out of his cell carrying Judith. She started to hum quietly when she walked back to her cell. Judith was quiet, and Beth set her down on the floor so she could play with her toys.

She sat down on her bed and sighed quietly. She hadn't seen Maggie or her Daddy since last night and that worried her a little bit. Daryl had still been distant from her, but that had been normal. Ever since she told him she was having his baby he'd been like that. Maybe he felt guilty? But it wasn't his fault, she would argue. So why was he keeping his distance?

"He's a good man," A voice said. Beth looked and Maggie was making her way over to the bed. She sat down next to Beth and smiled at Judith. Beth nodded, "I know."

She sighed and bit her lip, debating whether or not she should ask Maggie if she knew why he was staying away from her, she sighed, "Do you know why he's been distant?"

Maggie shrugged, "Maybe he's scared o' bein' a dad."

That made sense, Beth thought. She'd seen the scars on his back but didn't dare ask about them. She knew who was responsible for them.

"He'll be a good father. I know he will. I just wish he could see that," Beth said softly as she put a hand on her stomach. And she really did believe that.

Maggie suddenly started laughing and Beth raised an eyebrow, "What's so funny?" She demanded.

Her sister shrugged, "Nothin'. I just can't believe that there's a little person growin' inside o' you that's half Dixon and half Greene." Maggie smiled, "I can't wait to see him or her."

Beth laughed too and wrapped her arms around her sister. Maggie did the same, "I love you." She whispered as she kissed the top of Beth's head.

"I love you too," Beth responded. It felt good to have her sister back on her side. "You'll be a great aunt." Beth spoke after a moment, "And Daddy will be a great grandpa."

Maggie laughed, "Yeah, he will."

* * *

After Rick and Daryl's conversation yesterday, Daryl had volunteered to go on a run. He needed to get away from all these people for a little while, especially from the Greene family.

Maggie had tracked him down yesterday and apologized for accusing him, even though the accusation was true. He nodded and grunted, "'s fine."

But it wasn't fine. Although he'd never admit it, he was terrified of being a father, too afraid that he'll be just like his dad. And he didn't want to disappoint the mother of his child, so he kept his distance so she wouldn't have any high expectations for when the baby comes.

He'd never even told her that he loved her, but neither has she. He figured that she thought if she said it, he would leave. But that wasn't true.

Even though the run wasn't until tomorrow, he started to get everything ready: his bike and his weapons. Now he just had to tell Beth that he was going, and he was dreading it. The conversation would be short and awkward on both sides.

Every time he talked to her he always intended on talking about them, what they were now, but it never happened. At this rate they won't be having that conversation until after the baby was born.

The baby. _His_ baby. It still terrified him when he thought about it: he wasn't exactly a warm and fuzzy guy, especially when it came to kids. He'd loved Judith, but she wasn't his, so that made it easier to be around her.

So when he saw Beth looking down at her stomach the other day, he immediately felt guilty. He was the reason why this happened. So he'd thrown her an old black hoodie he'd found on a run a while ago.

"Y'alright?" Rick asked Daryl as he left his cell. Daryl nodded.

"I'm sorry about last night. Everyone was a little riled up and I had t'get ya outta there. Maggie looked like she was about to skin ya alive."

Daryl nodded again, "How'd they find out?" The question had been on his mind since last night. When he'd entered the room, everyone was waiting for Beth.

Rick shrugged, "I don't know. I guess they just put the pieces together."

"Took 'em that long?"

Rick shrugged again, "Like I said, I don't know. I figured it out when they did."

The statement made Daryl angry. No one even paid attention to her anymore. If they had, they would've caught on way quicker.

He pushed past Rick and went outside to find Beth.

* * *

 **Yay, so next chapter we'll get to see them actually interacting more. I can't wait.**

 **Thank you so much for all your nice reviews! They made me really happy :) I even responded to some of you.**

 **And I have a question: Do any of you ship Bethyl? And if you do, when did you start? I started shipping them I think in Still. That was actually the first episode of The Walking Dead I ever saw, and I actually thought they were gonna have sex during that game of 'never have I ever' ;p**

 **I thought Beth would say something like 'I've never had sex' and they do it haha but that was before I knew the kind of man Daryl was.**

 **Thank you.**


	5. Chapter 5

Daryl found Beth in her cell. He cleared his throat to let her know he was there. She jumped and looked up from the book she was reading while she was sitting on her bed and slightly smiled, "Hey."

"'S go for a walk." He suggested quietly. He couldn't talk about what he wanted to in here, they had to do it outside where no one could hear. Beth nodded and slowly pushed herself off the bed. Daryl noticed that her stomach was a bit bigger than when he last saw her.

"Everythin' ok?" She asked with a hint of worry in her voice. He nodded, "Just wanted to talk is all."

She didn't say anything else and he was grateful for that; he wasn't exactly good at talking about his feelings.

They walked to the outer fences of the prison, near Rick's new farm. They stopped when they reached the end of the pathway. Beth turned to him and sighed, "Why have you been avoidin' me?"

Daryl narrowed his eyes, "Ain't avoidin' ya."

"Yes, you are! God," She let out a frustrated sigh, "What happened? We use to be so close." She said quietly and in that moment he wanted to wrap his arms around her and just hold her, but he didn't- he couldn't.

"Daryl?" Her voice cracked and his head snapped back up to meet her eyes and they were full of tears.

He never wanted to hurt her, but maybe staying away was the only way to do that.

Beth shook her head and brushed past him, frustrated that he wouldn't talk to her. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back. She let out a surprised squeal and gasped. They hadn't been this close to each other in a _long_ time. She was breathing heavily and her heart was pounding.

"Beth." A voice said, making Daryl release her. It was Carol that was walking towards them. She put her arm around Beth's shoulder, "Maggie's lookin' for you."

Beth nodded and looked at Daryl, then back at Carol. As much as Beth loved her like a mother, she was annoyed at her for interrupting her and Daryl.

They were so close to kissing, for the first time in a long time.

After Beth walked away, Carol started speaking, "What the hell happened out here? I come outside to see you grabbin' her like-"

"Like what?" Daryl retorted as he crossed his arms. Carol scoffed, "Daryl, she's _seventeen_. I don't think you're understandin' that."

He snorted, "Yeah, world goes to shit and all y'all care 'bout is who's with who. Y'all are pathetic."

He started to walk past her but then stopped and turned around, "Don't you ever touch 'er again," He growled, suddenly feeling _very_ protective over his Beth.

Of course Daryl knew how bad it looked, he was old enough to be her father. But shit like that shouldn't matter anymore, especially now since everyday could be your last. But he would do _anything_ to protect his family.

* * *

Instead of sleeping that night, he stood outside Beth's cell, still feeling incredibly protective of her. He noticed Rick giving him a confused look.

"Got somethin' you wanna say, just say it. I'm sick o' y'all givin' me that look."

Rick looked genuinely confused, "What look?"

Daryl didn't respond, instead peeking inside of Beth's cell. She was still asleep, and her breathing was even. Before the prison, when he and Beth snuck away and just slept together, she would have nightmares. She would never tell him what they were about though, only stating that they involved everyone she loved getting eaten by walkers.

He became alert when he heard footsteps and instinctively went in front of the opening into Beth's cell. Surprisingly, it was Sasha.

"Whataya want?" He asked sharply. But Sasha was tough; she didn't even flinch.

"How is she?" She looked at Beth from over Daryl's shoulder since he was blocking most of the doorway.

Daryl shrugged, "Fine. Why?" Sasha and Beth were never close, they might've only said a few words to each other which is why it was so alarming to see her here, asking about Beth.

"Just asking." And with that, she cast one final glance at Beth and walked away. He heard the bed move and turned around to see Beth, who was now wide-awake, blinking at him.

Then she laughed, "You stood outside my cell all night?" It seemed to amuse her and Daryl automatically felt embarrassed.

"That was sweet," She commented as she sat on the side of her bed, clutching her stomach.

"Hungry?" He asked as he threw her a chocolate bar. Beth smiled and opened the wrapper, "Thank you."

As she was eating, he decided to leave her be for the rest of the day.

Beth frowned when he left, but smiled again when she thought of all the progress they've made since last night. Maybe they still had a while before they could reach that place they were in just a few months ago; and she was ok with that.

She remembered when Merle showed up, him constantly making snide comments when he was locked in one of the cells. He only had one hand and Maggie had told her what Glenn told her: that Rick handcuffed him to a rooftop in Atlanta, that T-Dog dropped the key to the handcuffs, and how when they went back for him he was gone. He'd cut off his arm to escape as he thought they'd abandoned him.

Merle hadn't scared her when he first got there because Daryl had told her all about him before, before they got to the prison.

She'd been pissed when Daryl chose to leave her to be with his brother. She spent many nights crying in her pillow, not really sleeping much. She had eventually forgiven him, though. She could never stay mad at him for anything.

So whenever him and Carol were alone, she was always scared that he'd want to be with _her_ instead of Beth. That's why she was so mad at Carol; Beth didn't want her stealing _her_ Daryl. Yes, he was hers. And she was his, no matter what they were to each other right now.

* * *

 **I know this was short and I'm sorry, I just wanted to let you guys know that I won't be updating everyday anymore. Well, I'll** _ **try**_ **, but now I'll most likely post once every few days or so. School is being really annoying right now so I don't have as much time as I used to.**

 **I will try to update everyday, but no promises (the longest you'll have to wait will be two days. Promise). Please don't loose interest in this story! I have a lot planned, including the sex of the baby :) (just not the name haha)  
**

 **There's literally no other stories where Beth is pregnant, or if there are they're all AU or way too OOC for me. If any of you know a story where Beth's pregnant during the ZA (zombie apocalypse), please let me know!**

 **And I apologize in advance if this was really bad.**

 **Thank you.**


	6. Chapter 6

Beth sought out to find Daryl. They needed to talk things out _now_ or they never will. After a few moments of walking, she spotted him in the main room of the prison. He was talking to Rick but Beth couldn't hear what they were saying because of how low their voices were.

She grabbed his arm and turned him around to face her, interrupting whatever Rick was saying, "We need to talk." She said as she let go of his arm. Rick was giving her a strange look, but then mumbled an excuse about looking for Judith.

When he was out of earshot, Daryl shot her a glare, "The hell is wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with _me_? Well, let's see, I _am_ havin' your baby. And I think we need to talk about everythin'." She was getting frustrated with him and she knew he could see that.

Daryl shrugged, "Ain't nothin' to talk about." He started to walk past her, and Beth grew irritated.

"I could die you know," She spoke sharply, and he stopped in his tracks. She could tell that struck a nerve. He never liked hearing about her dying, even when she told him about her attempted suicide. Even though he already knew what happened, he let her tell her because it was very personal.

"Ain't gonna let that happen." He spoke with such sincerity in his voice that Beth could see he really meant it.

"How, Daryl? By avoidin' me?" She questioned. Then she recollected herself and took a deep breath, "We can't be like Rick and Lori. Remember how that turned out? She died without knowin' how he really felt."

Daryl turned to see Beth near tears, "I love you. And our baby," She placed a hand over her stomach and smiled. She looked up at him and took slow steps towards him. She placed her hands on his shoulders and leaned in. She wanted to kiss him so badly it hurt, but she didn't know if he wanted her too.

But she did it anyway. She sighed when her lips touched his. It felt so long since they last kissed that she actually forgot how good it felt.

He was frozen at first, but after a few seconds he kissed her back. His hands traveled up and down her back, stopping at her hips.

"Ahem," Someone had cleared their throat and Beth immediately recognized it as Maggie.

When Beth pulled away and turned, she was right. It had been Maggie. She had a scowl on her face and Daryl noticed. He squeezed Beth's hand before he turned to leave, sending Maggie a glare as he walked past her.

"What the hell Maggie? You scared him off!" Beth complained, pissed that he and Daryl had yet again been interrupted.

Maggie just shrugged, "Was lookin' for you. Daddy wanted to check on the baby again."

Beth grimaced. Her Daddy hadn't been angry when he found out, but he wasn't exactly pleased about it either. As far as Beth knew, Daddy hadn't even spoken to Daryl yet. And that wasn't something she wanted anyway.

* * *

Hershel had told her that the baby was still healthy, but she really needed to eat more. She was 'too skinny' and if she kept on like this, she wouldn't survive the birth.

And that scared her to death. She couldn't die; she still had so much to live for like Daryl, her Daddy, Maggie, Judith…

But if she had to give up her life to let her baby live, then that's what she was prepared to do. Daryl wouldn't like it though and she knew that, but if something were to happen to her, then the baby would be his responsibility. Not Maggie's or Carol's or her Daddy's; Daryl's. After all, he was the one who created him or her. Not any of them.

Beth told herself that what happened to Lori would _not_ happen to her because there would never be another circumstance like that ever again (walkers getting into the prison). So apart from worrying about dying, Beth was actually excited to be a mother. She would teach them _everything_ , like singing and drawing.

Maggie had been following Beth around all day, making sure she ate everything their Daddy told her to. It was sweet at first, but after a while it got annoying when she told Beth to sit down and keep eating every time she tried to get up.

She hadn't spoken to Daryl since yesterday and Beth figured he was avoiding her just like he always was. But then she learned from her sister that there had been a council meeting all day about The Governor and what he might do.

"They're just worried about what he might do. There's no way of knowing if he'll actually attack us," Maggie tried to reassure her but Beth could see right through her.

"We all know he'll be back; it's just a matter of time." Beth said quietly as she shifted in her seat on one of the tables in the main room. Maggie sat across from her and she covered Beth's hands that were on the table, "Ya got have faith."

Beth scoffed, "Faith ain't done shit for us. Sorry," She added when she saw her sister's hurt expression.

Maggie nodded and rubbed Beth's hands with her palm when Glenn came in, "Uh, meeting's over." He said awkwardly. Beth guessed that he expected Maggie to be alone when found her. Glenn did look like he wanted to be alone with her, but Maggie made no movement, "I think I'm gonna stay with Beth for a while." She said and Glenn nodded, kissing her on the cheek before he left.

Beth sighed, "I wish Daryl was like that." It was true, but after thinking about it Beth decided that she wouldn't have wanted to have him any other way.

Maggie gave her a small smile when they heard a scream from the cellblock. Beth's blood ran cold when she heard the sound of a very familiar groan.

 _Walkers._

* * *

 _ **Cliffhanger! Oh no, I hope everyone's ok in that cellblock…  
**_

 _ **What did you guys think? Let me know. And thank you so much for all your wonderful reviews :) they make me smile.**_

 _ **And if you guys know anymore Bethyl pregnancy stories during the ZA (zombie apocalypse), let me know!**_

 _ **Sorry this was so short. I'll make it longer next time :) (And what did you think about their kiss? I tried to keep it as realistic as possible, and I definitely think that they would've gotten interrupted a lot at the prison. Btw did anyone notice that one of the lines Beth said was actually a quote from Daryl?)**_

 _ **Thank you.**_


	7. Chapter 7

Beth jumped up and grabbed her gun from her back pocket. Maggie already had hers out and started to walk towards the cells. Beth followed, but stayed behind a few steps. She couldn't risk anything happening to the baby.

But apparently she wasn't far enough away as a walker grabbed her leg and held on for dear life. She screamed Maggie's name, but with all the gunfire and screaming, Maggie didn't hear.

Daryl had been in the guard tower when he heard Rick calling for him. When Daryl came towards him Rick started to speak. "Walkers. They're in C block."

His blood ran cold. That was where Beth was. "'s go!" Daryl said as he pushed past him. As he entered the cell block, he could hear lots of screaming. But one scream in particular stood out to him. _Beth._ He noticed her kicking at something and immediately realized it was a walker. He ran towards her and shot an arrow through its head. Beth sighed and leaned onto his chest. Daryl wrapped an arm around her shoulder and led her outside.

"The hell happened?" Glenn asked as he approached the two of them. "Beth? Are you ok?"

Beth only managed a nod. Daryl figured she was in shock. Glenn seemed satisfied with her answer. "Maggie?"

"In there." Daryl responded as he pointed to the cell block. Glenn nodded and ran inside.

Rick came outside as soon as he went in. Daryl was about to ask him if he knew what the hell was going on, but Rick seemed to know what he was going to ask already.

"Food poisoning." He stated sharply. "That's what Hershel said."

"Who turned?" Daryl asked and he felt Beth flinch. She must not be taking this so well. Beth was the type of person who cared about everyone, and that was something that he would never understand.

Rick sighed, "Kid named John. Didn't even know he was stayin' there."

Daryl silently responded with an "'k". He ran his hands through Beth's hair and sighed. After a few moments, Maggie, Glenn, Carol and Carl emerged from the building. Beth left Daryl's arms and went to Maggie's side.

"Y'alright?" Maggie asked her as she put her hand on Beth's cheek. Beth nodded and Maggie pulled her close. She kissed her forehead and rested her chin on the top of Beth's head.

"We need to go through the food supply. Make sure no one else gets sick," Carol ordered and Rick nodded, murmuring in agreement.

"How many?" Daryl asked and Rick sighed, "Four walkers and two bit. They're bein' taken care of by Hershel and Tyreese."

Beth shuddered and was grateful that she didn't have to deal with anyone in there. She was already feeling sick just thinking about it.

Rick turned and looked at Beth. "Baby alright?"

Beth didn't know what to say. Even though her stomach had very much been increasing in size, she hadn't been able to feel them move yet. Daddy had said she might not feel anything until she was about sixteen weeks along. She'd only been roughly fourteen weeks.

She nodded and smiled, grateful for Rick asking. He nodded, the sighed. He looked at Daryl. "Looks like you'll have to go on another run."

Beth wanted to protest, but she knew that it had to be done. Their food supply was even lower than it was before. And Daryl would have gone anyway to make sure she was fed.

She pulled away from Maggie and went back inside. There was blood everywhere, even a small teddy bear on the ground. Tears formed in her eyes but she blinked them away; hopefully no children were killed.

* * *

Beth, Carol, Sasha and Maggie were assigned to clean up their cell block later that night. Conveniently, it was after Daryl, Glenn and Michonne left. But Beth was grateful for the distraction. It hadn't been fun, but at least it got her mind off things for a little while.

After it was clean, Daddy had instructed Beth to rest. As she turned around to leave, he had called her back.

"I wanna talk about things."

Beth nodded and sat down next to her father. She took a deep breath. "I know you're not happy about me and Daryl-"

Hershel scoffed, "Not happy? More like enraged. But I am grateful for how he's been treatin' ya. Most men woulda ran from somethin' like this."

Beth shook her head, "Not Daryl. He's a good man, Daddy."

"I know he is. He's provided more meals for my family than I ever could."

Beth smiled at the way her father talked about Daryl. Maybe he was warming up to the idea of them together?

"I know I can't stop ya from bein' with him, so all I'm gonna say is be careful. He may be a good man, but you might get hurt."

She rolled her eyes. Everyone had told her that. "Don't worry, Daddy. He won't be runnin'."

And in that moment, Beth had really believed that.

* * *

 _ **I know, it was really short. But I'm so tired, so I apologize for any mistakes.**_

 _ **Let me know what you think of the story so far. Am I doing a good job?**_

 _ **Thank you.**_


	8. Chapter 8

It had been two weeks since the attack in C block, but Rick was growing paranoid. Every time Beth had seen him he had been rambling on about The Governor and his whereabouts. He would talk about how he could strike at any moment, but Glenn had shut him down. _"If he really wanted to attack, he would've done it already."_

Beth agreed with Glenn, but she also thought that Rick's paranoia was understandable. The Governor had been known to use the element of surprise. He even kidnapped Maggie and Glenn, killed Axel and Merle, and killed Andrea (indirectly). She just hoped with all her heart that she and her family would be safe for the time being.

She was currently rocking Judith asleep, even softly humming a lullaby. That always helped the baby go to sleep. As she watched Judith's eyes slowly close, she sighed and gently lied her in her little box crib. She stood there for a moment and just thought about everything.

Her and Daryl seemed to be fine these days. They weren't avoiding each other, but they weren't exactly what you would call 'back together'. She'd visit him when he was on watch and they'd just sit there, not speaking, just being there together.

Maggie and Hershel still didn't approve of their relationship, but what were they going to do? She was already pregnant with his child.

Correction: _sixteen weeks pregnant_. But she hadn't felt the baby move which worried her a lot. What if it was stillborn? Even though Beth couldn't ever imagine that happening, it was always a possibility. All the fuss everyone had made about her teenage pregnancy would mean nothing anymore.

And honestly, if her baby died, she would want to die too.

* * *

"I know he's here somewhere. Maybe not here, maybe not there," Rick said, referring to the town of Woodbury that had fallen a few months ago. "but he's here."

As much as Maggie didn't want to believe it, she knew it was true. The Governor, rather, _Philip_ , was a hard man to get rid of. Of course he would be back; it was only a matter of time now.

That's what worried her though, how little time they had left if he really _was_ gathering an army to take their home away.

"So what do we do?" Maggie said after she sighed. "We tried trackin' him. Didn't work."

"Trail went cold." Rick agreed. "But maybe it'll get warmer if we start again."

"Rick, I know you're worried; we _all_ are. And not just for Carl or Judith's sake, but for Beth's sake. She's havin' a baby soon and she can't do that if we're on the run again."

Rick opened his mouth to protest, but Maggie spoke first, "I _won't_ let her give birth on the side of the road, Rick."

He sighed and nodded, finally dropping the subject. Maggie was relieved that he had finally given up. He didn't need to worry about Philip when there was nothing they could do.

She knew the chances of her sister surviving the birth if it wasn't in the prison weren't good. So they had to stay here, even if it meant people were to die.

* * *

 _ **Embarrassingly short, I know, but I need to figure out how to continue it. I already have an idea of what I want to do, but I need some more time.**_

 _ **Next chapter will be longer. And sorry for any logic errors or whatever, but I think I did pretty good. But I don't know.**_

 _ **Thank you.**_


	9. Chapter 9

Beth looked at her sister with tears in her eyes. "We can't risk people's lives and stay here just because of me, Maggie. I won't let you."

Maggie had told her what she told Rick earlier, about staying here. It probably wasn't the best idea now that she thought about it, but she needed to be honest with her sister and let her know what was going on. Beth was sitting on her bed, with Maggie right in front of her, standing.

She knelt down and put each hand on one of Beth's arms. "And if we leave, then what? Daddy can't walk as good as he used to, and now we got Judith. If she starts cryin' at the wrong time – it could all be over. So trust me, it's best that we stay here and not risk our own lives."

Beth still wasn't sure staying was a good idea. Sure, the Governor could be far away by now, but chances are, he isn't. And he knows where the prison is and could easily strike.

"And if you go into labor and we don't have what we need then-"

"I'll probably die in childbirth whether I give birth here or out there, so you really don't even have to worry about me." Beth interrupted. She knew that was true. It happened to Lori and it could easily happen to her.

"You won't die here. I won't let you," Maggie responded, repeating the words Beth used earlier.

"So you're just gonna let everyone else die?" Beth's voice cracked, and tears started to form. Her sister had always been a stubborn person, but Beth was the only one who could change her mind, and she was going to do everything in her power to make Maggie listen. There was absolutely _no_ reason for everyone else to die just because she was stupid enough to get pregnant.

Maggie sighed. "We're staying. End of discussion."

Beth shook her head and stormed out of her room. She didn't know where she was going to go, but she just knew that she had to be away from her sister right now. She was much too stubborn for her own good.

An idea formed in her head: what if she left and took a few people with her? Maybe then Maggie would go out looking for her and see that she could survive without the prison. One day they would have to, anyway. Everyday the Governor was getting closer and closer. Wasn't it better to leave, knowing that he was coming? Instead of sitting here, unprotected from these fences and walls.

She sighed and went to find Judith; the little baby always made her feel better.

* * *

Daryl had offered to go hunting again, instead of eating any more cold soup. He just couldn't stand the taste of it any longer, and he knew the others couldn't either, but wouldn't admit it.

He followed the route he always took when he hunted, carefully aiming his crossbow at the bushes, ready to shoot if he needed to. So far he'd caught three squirrels, which wasn't much if you really thought about it, but it would have to do.

The sound of one of the bushes rustling made him jump and point the crossbow to the bushes. He couldn't figure out which one made the noise, as it came from behind him, so he aimed it at all of them for a few seconds each.

"Hey, don't shoot!" A voice called.

Daryl grunted and took a shot anyway, but at the wrong bush. A man came out, looking both shocked yet relieved. His white t-shirt had large tears in it, and so did his jeans.

"I need some help, please."

"Who the hell are you? What are you doin' out here?" Daryl demanded.

The man held up his hands. "Do you have shelter? Oh please sir, if you could please take me there-"

"Answer the question, or I'll shoot."

The man didn't answer even after Daryl gave him a few more seconds. He looked absolutely tongue-tied and confused by such a simple question.

Without flinching, he took the shot at the man's head. He dropped down with a _thud_.

"Damn, asshole made me waste an arrow." He muttered, referring to the one now lost in the bush. He sighed and took the one he just shot in the man's head.

* * *

 _ **hello! i am so sorry i haven't updated in over ONE YEAR but i kinda lost interest in the whole story and really doubted my writing skills. hopefully this chapter was good, and again i'm so sorry. for those who have reviewed and favorited – thank you so much.**_


	10. Chapter 10

_Rick had tried to be the best leader that he could possibly be, but it seems now that he was failing. Who was he even fooling anymore? He just wasn't cut out for this leader thing like Shane had been._

 _Shane._

 _He still thought of his best friend every single day. He missed the hell out of him, and sometimes he hated himself for doing what he did. Sure, he was a bit rough around the edges, but he was still a_ person _. He deserved to live and be with his daughter. Yes, that's right; Rick had accepted it. Judith was most likely not his biological child like Carl was, but she was still his daughter no matter what. He loved her and was taking care of her as any father would._

 _He started hiding down by the farm when it was time to make decisions. It was much better this way. He was no longer able to keep these people alive._

 _The Council was his idea, after thinking about it for some time now. A place this big needed more than one leader. They needed people who could provide for them and make tough choices when the time came. So he turned to the people he trusted the most._

* * *

Rick paced back and forth, shaking his head. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"He coulda been dangerous for all we know." Daryl tried to defend himself after explaining what had happened outside the prison.

"So you just shoot him?" Rick questioned incredulously.

"You'd have done the same thing." Daryl shot back, his eyes blazing. And with that, he left.

Deep down, Rick knew he was right. If it was him out there and a stranger came up to him, begging for help without any rhyme or reason, he'd kill him too. But not without remorse like Daryl.

"What the hell is going on?" Rick heard Maggie's voice echo through the hallway.

He turned around to face her. "Daryl ran into some guy outside-"

"What guy? Was he one of the Governor's men? See Maggie, he's already here!" Beth interrupted, walking out of her cell with a sleeping Judith and into the hallway. She placed the baby into his arms as she spoke.

"We don't know that." Rick kept his voice soft so he wouldn't wake his daughter up.

"I cannot believe you people." Beth rolled her eyes and threw her hands up in defeat. She turned and stalked away from the two, needing to see Daryl. Surely he'd agree with her? He wouldn't be so naïve like them.

She angrily stomped to his cell, only to find him gone. That's weird, he's usually always here. What could he be doing at this time of day? He'd already hunted a few hours ago, and got noting. But maybe he decided to head out again.

"I'm goin' crazy sitting inside all day," she complained to herself. The sound of a cell door was heard from behind her.

"Me too. You wanna take a walk?" Hershel asked, coming up to her.

She nodded, and the two headed out. The walk was silent for a bit, as Beth was deep in thought. All she could think about right now was how ridiculous everyone was being. Couldn't they see that the Governor was coming and that they needed to leave _now_ , before it was too late? Beth knew that leaving would mean that he had won, and the other's probably didn't want to give the prison to them because of their pride, but what other choice did they really have? Better to do it now, without any fighting. That was the last thing they needed right now; a war.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Her father leaned closer to her, a ghost of a smile on his face.

She only sighed. He was just going to tell her the same thing her sister had; that there was nothing to worry about. So she decided to forget about this for now and revisit it later. You have to pick and choose your battles, and this wasn't the time.

"You said I'm sixteen weeks?"

He nodded.

"So there's still about… twenty four weeks left?" She had paused to do the math quickly in her head. Math wasn't her best subject, even when it was simple subtraction.

"Give or take a few, but yeah. It could always come early, or later."

"Oh," she nodded, not really giving any thought to his response. "Hey, Daddy, I'm gonna head back inside, actually. I'm kinda tired."

He smiled and nodded as she turned and went back inside.

* * *

 _ **hey guys! i'm doing my absolute best to update as much as i can. i know it must seem really boring right now, but i'm slowly heading towards "30 days without an accident" and into season 4. finally lol. it obviously won't be exactly the same, so be patient with me for now. thank you for reading!**_


	11. Chapter 11

When she entered the prison once again, she could see Rick sitting on the steps with Judith and Carl. She smiled.

"I'm so sorry about before, Rick. I'm just a little on edge since, well, you know…" She trailed off, gesturing to her stomach.

"Hey, I get it. I'm worried too, but this is our home now. We ain't got nowhere else to go."

"Yeah." She agreed quietly, remembering the farm. She almost suggested going back, but she completely forgot that it was overrun. Besides, it wasn't big enough for all these people. And there were no fences; no protection.

"Have you seen Daryl?" She asked, trying not to sound desperate or anything. She really wanted to see him.

Carl spoke up, "I saw him and Carol talking outside earlier, but I don't know where he is now. Maybe hunting."

There was that jealousy forming inside of her again. She swallowed and tried her best to push it away. "Thanks."

He nodded at her and she went back to her cell to try to get some rest. But then her stomach growled and she realized that she hadn't had anything to eat since breakfast that morning, and it was probably around dinner time now. She cursed herself as she got out of bed. She'd been out and about all day now, and she just wanted to rest.

She smiled sheepishly at Rick and Carl as she walked passed them again.

The air was much colder when she opened the door to go outside, and she shivered. She really should have worn something warmer, but instead she'd chosen a pink tank top that was covered by a thin jacket, and skinny jeans.

People from all different cell blocks were crowding around the tables that held dinner, grabbing whatever they could before it was taken. Like animals.

She shuddered at the thought.

She spotted Daryl, who was talking with Carol. They were laughing and looked a bit cozy.

 _Would you stop being such a teenage girl? There's nothing going on._ She scolded herself as she walked to the two of them.

"Beth," Carol smiled as she saw her. "You want something to eat? I could get you something."

"Here." Daryl handed his plate to her, licking his fingers.

"Gross. But thank you." She giggled and took his plate. She then kissed his cheek, watching him shuffle uncomfortably. It only made her laugh more.

"It's so weird seeing you two together, I mean, not that I have anything against it. I think it's sweet how Daryl's finally got a girlfriend." Carol pinched his cheek.

He pushed her hand away while Beth laughed.

"Um, Mr. Dixon," a boy with black hair, probably about Beth's age, asked from behind them. "I just wanted to thank you for going out there and hunting for all of us."

Beth grinned and put a hand on Daryl's arm as he nodded to the boy. Beth figured he was probably too embarrassed to speak.

The boy turned to her. "I'm sorry, we've never met before. I'm Patrick. Are you Mrs. Dixon?"

Beth tried to speak, but she honestly didn't know what to say, so she looked to Carol for help. Carol only shrugged, as if to say, "it's not my problem."

"Yes, I am." Beth exclaimed happily, holding out her hand for him to shake. She hoped he didn't notice her hesitation. "It's nice to meet you, Patrick."

Patrick nodded and turned to leave.

"Well, looks as if you got yourself a wife. Congratulations!" Carol joked, yet again embarrassing him.

He tried to hide his face by looking down, but Beth swore she saw a small smile on his face.

* * *

There was nothing Michonne hated more than the Governor. Absolutely nothing. He'd taken Andrea, the only true friend she ever had, from her. And for that he was going to pay, even if it killed her.

She tried to head out at least twice a week, sometimes more if she was lucky. She usually stayed gone for a few days, focusing on nothing but her mission.

But she never came any closer to finding him each time she went out. It was as if she somehow got further and further away, and it was really frustrating her. Where on earth was this guy? How was he in one spot one day, but gone the next? It didn't make any sense, unless she was tracking the wrong person? That was a possibility. She needed some help from the best tracker she knew.

When she asked him, though, he flat out refused. She figured that he didn't want to leave Beth, with her being pregnant now, but he was going to have to sooner or later. The Governor was getting closer and closer, so it was better to find him and end this now, before he returned with another army.

So she set out once again by herself, more than ready to kill him.

* * *

 _ **two chapters posted today! and yayyyy we're getting closer to "30 days"! i'm honestly so excited. i hope you guys liked the little bethyl moment i included, with patrick calling her mrs. dixon lol i thought it was adorable. btw, should I have carol/rick or michonne/rick? i can't decide lol**_


	12. Chapter 12

The Governor had them right where he wanted them. Afraid to trust anyone, even someone unarmed. So when he saw James' dead body outside the prison, he grinned. It didn't look like he'd been shot as there was no bullet, but there was a hole in his temple. Not too fresh, though. His body had started to decay and he could smell the stench of death. They couldn't even bury him? At least move his body somewhere else, where biters couldn't get to it? Of course not, because these were selfish people.

He quickly left when he heard that unmistakable groaning. They'd found some more food.

Now, it wasn't like Philip cared about James. The man had offered to scope out the prison, knowing the risks, like being bitten or killed by the people on the other side of the fence. He really had no one to blame but himself for his death. But Philip regretted that he couldn't be buried, or at least burned so the biters wouldn't get to him.

After Woodbury, he'd found sanctuary with a family who were kind enough to take him in. The family consisted of David, his two daughters, Lily and Tara, and Lily's daughter, Meghan. He'd immediately taken a liking to Meghan, as she reminded him of his own daughter. And then he'd started a relationship with Lily, vowing to never let anything happen to her or her daughter, or even her sister. They were his family now.

So he took them with him after David died. He didn't know where in the hell he was going, but he knew that his old friends were out there somewhere. And he'd need their help to get his revenge on the people who ruined his life, and the bitch that took his eye.

He was going to take that prison and use it as a home for his own family, no matter the cost.

* * *

Beth hummed a lullaby to Judith, trying to get her to fall asleep before Rick came to get her. When he got her when she was awake, Judith would cry, not wanting to leave Beth. She found it bittersweet; Judith had recognized her as a mother, but she wasn't her mother. Her mother was dead, her body digested in the stomach of a walker. Beth shuddered.

She was now eighteen weeks, and already more than done with being pregnant. She absolutely hated everything about it; the morning sickness, the mood swings, and especially the need to eat more. Before she could go a day or two without eating, as under some circumstances she had to, with food being scarce and all, but now it felt like she had to eat every twenty minutes otherwise she'd go insane. It was just really annoying.

Taking care of Judith was a nice distraction. Plus it would prepare her for the real thing, as no one else was going to take care of her baby.

"Hey," Rick whispered, making her jump and turn to look at him. He smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare ya. Can I take her?"

"It's fine. And yeah, I just put her to sleep." She carefully lifted the baby up and handed her to her father.

She bid him goodnight and went to lie down when he spoke again. "I've been meanin' to ask, a few of us are goin' on a run tomorrow. Ya need anythin' at all?"

There were a lot of things she needed, or more like wanted, but there was no way anyone could get them. Like a guitar, a record player (along with a few records), a crib for the baby, and some candy. They were luxuries; and in this world, there are no luxuries.

So she shook her head. "I'm good, thank you."

He nodded and turned to leave.

She ran a hand over her stomach, contemplating on going after him and telling him about her ridiculous desires, but ultimately decided against it. She already had food, shelter, and a family. And for that she was very lucky. She'd have to bear the boredom for now.

And she really was bored these days. Maggie was always with Glenn, occasionally checking on her, and Daryl was going on a lot of runs lately. He was going on the one tomorrow, along with Rick, Sasha, Bob, and Carl. There was always Carol, though. Michonne too, whenever she came back.

She felt a twinge of anxiety in her stomach when she thought about the woman. She was out looking for The Governor, and this time alone. Daryl used to go with her, but Beth didn't know why he stopped. Although from what she could tell, there was really no sure way to find him. You could only track a person so far.

Beth really hoped that this time Michonne found him and took out his other eye. It's what he deserved. Death was too kind for a monster like that. Let's see him try and attack them while blind! He wouldn't be a threat any longer.

But she knew that as long as he was breathing, they'd never really be free of him.

* * *

 _ **I'm sorry these chapters have been so short lately, I'm just trying to speed things up. If all goes planned, the next two chapters should be about the Governor and his plan to take over the prison. I'm not sure if I'll have him kidnap Michonne and Hershel like he does in the show, idk watching Hershel die is already pretty depressing and I don't wanna add to that depression by writing it too. But we'll see. I've already planned out who's gonna leave with who. It won't be like the show, so Bethyl may or may not be separated. We'll see! Thanks for reading**_


	13. Chapter 13

Lily had a bad feeling about this.

Brian had met up with an old friend of his, who's called Martinez, and now he mysteriously died. When she asked Brian about it, he didn't answer. And that made her a little nervous.

Don't get her wrong, though. She loved him and loved that he wanted to protect her family, but she didn't like that he was lying to her. It seriously made her uneasy. Why couldn't he disclose the details about his friend's death? Was it thatupsetting to him? Or… was _he_ the reason he died? She immediately shook that thought away. Brian would never kill anyone for no good reason, or anyone, period.

"There's a prison," he told her one evening after she put Meghan to bed.

She raised her eyebrows. "Where?"

"Not too far from here. It's got fences and walls, everything we need to keep the biters out." He'd made a pretty convincing argument, until he continued. "There are some… people there already, but we can take care of them. Shouldn't be a problem."

"What do you mean 'take care of them'? We're no executioners, Brian. What will that teach Meghan, that if someone has what you want you kill them for it?"

He stood up from the bed and put his hands on her shoulders. "It'll teach her that in this, you either kill or you die."

"She's only seven!" Lily exclaimed. "We're supposed to be fighting _them_ \- those things! Not people."

"Trust me, there is no difference between the biters and those people. They're ruthless." He removed the eye patch to reveal his mutilated eye, and Lily looked away just in time before she saw it.

"Look at what they did to me, Lily. You're telling me that these are good people?"

"I'm saying that they don't deserve to die."

"And they won't. All we want is the prison, I don't wanna kill unless we absolutely have to." His voice turned soft, and Lily almost believed him.

"Sending them out there means sending them to their deaths." She scoffed and shook her head, turning around and walking the door on the R.V. "I want no part of this, Brian. And please keep Tara out of it to."

She let her words sink in before leaving to find her sister. It was almost completely dark out, and she had absolutely no idea where Tara was. As she got closer to the area where they were hanging clothes to dry them, she heard giggling.

"Tara?" She called.

She heard a few more giggles, and then they stopped. "Lily?"

Lily switched on the flashlight that she always kept with her in the back pocket of her jeans. "What the hell are you- oh." She stopped short when she saw Alisha with her sister. "I'm sorry, I'll just, um.."

Tara rolled her eyes as she pecked her girlfriend on the lips. She whispered a "goodnight," and then walked up to her sister.

"What? Stop giving me that look." Tara complained as she pulled Lily along with her back to the R.V.

"What look?"

Tara groaned. "That look. Ugh, whatever. You can walk back by yourself." She stomped ahead, leaving her sister behind.

As they approached the R.V., Lily noticed that the door was wide open. She vividly remembered that she closed it, who could've opened it? Starting to panic, Lily ran the rest of the way, passing her clueless sister.

"Brian? Meghan?" She checked the bed, and her daughter wasn't there anymore. "Shit," she cursed under her breath.

"The hell is going on?" Tara questioned as she entered.

"Meghan's gone!" She motioned to the bed.

Tara's eyes widened at the realization. "Didn't you tuck her in? I remember seeing her asleep, 'bout a couple hours before I left."

Lily nodded. "I'm not sleeping until we find her. Let's go, maybe Brian took her outside to play or something."

Tara raised her eyebrows in confusion. "This late?"

"It's a possibility, come on!" She pulled her sister's hand with her as she went out the door.

* * *

Philip picked Meghan up out of the car and rested her on his right hip. He shut the door and gave her a smile. "Ready to see it, pumpkin?"

She nodded excitedly. Philip knew that it was probably the thrill of being up so late that made her so excited, not necessarily seeing their new home. She wouldn't care about something like that so much.

He walked a bit closer, avoiding the bushes that blocked his path. Once they had a clear view, she gasped.

"Isn't it beautiful?" He asked.

"That's where we're gonna live? It's so big," She commented, eyes wide.

"Well, there's a lot of us, so we need a big place like this."

"But it's a prison. Don't only bad guys go to prison?"

He nodded. "That's right. There are some bad people in there, so we gotta get 'em out first. We're the good guys, and don't you ever forget." He pressed his forehead against hers, smiling.

* * *

 _ **Not my best chapter haha, but I hope you still enjoyed reading! The pacing of this story is absolutely terrible but eh, what can I do. This is probably my favorite chapter tbh. And I'm thinking about doing another Bethyl fanfic, like what would've happened if Beth hadn't been kidnapped. I'm not sure if anyone's already written one, but I really want to. It'd be fun.**_

 _ **Thanks for reading! I hope I got everyone's character right, The Governor is so hard to write. And the reason Lily calls him "Brian" is because that's the fake name he told them, in case anyone was confused and/or forgot. Season 4 is my favorite season**_


	14. Chapter 14

"Meghan!" Lily screamed into the darkness. Her and Tara had decided to look in the woods for her lost daughter, but unfortunately it was so dark that they couldn't even see each other. Lily was on the edge of just giving up and mourning her daughter.

"Shut up! You'll attract them," Tara whispered harshly.

"What does it matter anymore? Meghan's probably out there alone and afraid, waiting to be found by one of those things. I don't want to live anymore." Lily, out of exhaustion and despair, fell to her knees. "I just wanna find my baby. Please find her, Tara."

"She's probably out with Brian. He wouldn't let anything happen to her, right? You said he treats her as if she were his own daughter. We have nothing to worry about, so quit your crying and let's head back. The last thing anyone needs right now is _more_ to worry about. Come on," Tara tapped her sister's shoulder. When she didn't move, she forced her up on her feet.

Her head lay against Tara's chest as the two of them made their way back to the trailer. They didn't wander far from home, so the walk back was pretty quick.

Tara could see the outline of the trailer from where she was and sighed in relief. "We're back, thank god."

"But Meghan is-"

"Mommy!" A high-pitched voice called from their right. Lily whipped her head to where the noise came from.

It was Meghan.

"Where in the world were you? You had me worried sick!" Lily scolded her daughter as she wrapped her arms around the small girl.

"Don't be mad at her, it was me who took her out." Brian's low voice came from a few feet away.

Lily picked up her daughter and walked to him. "Where the hell did you go with her?"

"To see our new home." He smiled at Meghan.

"Mommy, you have to see it! It's so big and looks really safe. Ask Brian, he'll tell you! I wanna go there." She said, wearing a huge smile.

"Jesus Christ, I _told_ you she was fine. Come on Meghan, it's way past your bed time." Tara took her into her arms and carried her into the trailer, leaving Lily and Brian alone.

She didn't know whether she should be mad or relieved. Mad because no matter what happened and even if he kept her safe, he put her in danger. He also didn't even tell anyone where he was going.

But she was more relieved than anything. Her daughter wasn't out there being turned into one of those monsters right now.

"I guess I should thank you for keeping her safe."

He nodded, though she couldn't see very well. "It's nothing. She's like one of my own. I'd do absolutely anything to protect her."

She didn't speak, and instead started walking away to go inside.

"Anything," he whispered to himself as he followed her inside.

That included killing a bunch of heartless, sorry excuses of human beings at that prison. They didn't deserve it after what they did to him and Woodbury. And after what that bitch did to his eye.

* * *

The next morning, Brian called a meeting with everyone.

Lily and Tara came after they made sure that she was asleep and that someone was standing outside their trailer in case a biter came.

Lily already had a feeling about what this meeting was for and immediately wanted no part of it, but Brian had convinced her that just talking about it wasn't doing any harm. If enough people didn't want to do it, then they wouldn't. So she had to put her faith in the others and trust that they would do the right thing and not steal someone else's home. If they did that then they'd be just like the monsters they were fighting against. They took homes and killed without remorse. It was just instinct.

And they were _not_ like them.

* * *

 **So I bet you all know what's coming if you've seen the show, especially season 4. Haha. Keep Hershel in your prayers; I'm still deciding whether or not I want him to die. Anyways, I hope you liked this chapter! I really enjoy writing The Governor chapters. It's cool to get inside his head. Lily's, too. Bye!**


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